PoliticsThe WeekGeorge P. Bush applauds Liz Cheney's ouster, claims she doesn't 'stand up for conservative Republican ideology'
George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R), applauded House Republicans on Wednesday for ousting Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) from her position as the No. 3 House GOP leader. Bush tweeted that "we need leaders in Congress that stand up for conservative Republican ideology, and Liz Cheney is not that leader," over a quote in which he says Cheney should be "reigning [sic] fire" down on Biden, not "the president," presumably referring to former President Donald Trump.
WorldAxiosOver 70 dead in worst bombardments between Israel and Hamas for years
Photo: Ashraf Amra/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Israeli firefighters and security forces inspect damage at a house in Yehud, near Tel Aviv, after rockets were launched toward Israel from Gaza Strip on May 12. Photo: Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP via Getty Images A fire rages at sunrise in Khan Yunish following an Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza on May 12. Photo: Youssef Massoud/AFP via Getty Images Smoke billows on May 12 at Ashkelon's refinery, hit by Hamas rockets the previous day in southern Israel, near the Gaza Strip.
U.S.TheGrioBlack Dunkin’ Donuts manager charged after fatally punching man who called him slur
When a Dunkin' customer hurled racist slurs at an employee, he was met with a punch to the head that proved to be fatal. This is when he began arguing with the store's Black manager, Corey Pujols. Pujols, 27, told police that the man was being “extremely rude” and called him a racial slur.
PoliticsAssociated PressNumber of children traveling alone at border eases in April
The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults were found coming without families, authorities said Tuesday. Authorities encountered 17,171 children traveling alone, down 9% from 18,960 in March, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, but still well above the previous high of 11,475 reported in May 2019 by the Border Patrol, which began publishing numbers in 2009. Overall, the Border Patrol's 173,460 encounters with migrants on the Mexican border in April were up 3% from 169,213 in March, the highest level since April 2000.
U.S.Miami HeraldMiami man who bought Lamborghini with COVID-19 relief money sentenced to six years
A Miami businessman was sentenced to more than six years in prison Wednesday after pleading guilty to fleecing millions from a federal COVID-19 relief program and buying luxury items with the money, including a $318,000 Lamborghini Huracán Evo. David T. Hines, 29, arrested last July, was ordered by a Miami federal judge to turn over the luxury Italian sports car and $3.4 million that he received in government loans. Hines, who owned South Florida moving businesses, applied to the Bank of America for seven loans under a Small Business Administration program.
WorldAssociated PressWest and rights groups accuse China of massive Uyghur crimes
Human rights groups and Western nations led by the United States, Britain and Germany accused China of massive crimes against the Uyghur minority and demanded unimpeded access for U.N. experts at a virtual meeting on Wednesday denounced by China as “politically motivated” and based on “lies. China's U.N. Mission sent notes to many of the U.N.'s 193 member nations last week urging them not to participate in the “anti-China event. And China's U.N. Ambassador Zhang Jun sent text messages to the 15 Western co-sponsors of the meeting expressing shock at their support, urging them to “think twice” and withdraw it.
U.S.Idaho StatesmanTwo planes collide in Colorado sky — but no one was injured, officials say. How?
A single-engine plane collided with a jet in the Colorado sky, officials said. The planes collided in midair above Cherry Creek State Park at about 10:25 a.m. Wednesday, Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office officials said during a news briefing. The single-engine Cirrus SR-22 plane crashed in a field, officials said, but it deployed a parachute before hitting the ground.
- U.S.Associated Press
Mississippi court upholds life sentence for pot possession
The Mississippi Court of Appeals on Tuesday upheld a life sentence for a man convicted of a marijuana possession charge because he had previous convictions and those made him a habitual offender. Allen Russell, 38, was sentenced to life in Forrest County in 2019 after a jury found him guilty of possession of more than 30 grams (1.05 ounces) of marijuana. In Mississippi, a person can be sentenced to life without parole after serving at least one year in prison on two separate felonies, one of which must be a violent offense.
WorldThe TelegraphI am ‘v free’: David Cameron sent 68 messages to ministers and mandarins about Greensill Capital
David Cameron bombarded ministers and officials with 68 messages about the collapsed lender Greensill, it has emerged, as the scale of his intense lobbying campaign has been laid bare. The communications fired off by the former Conservative prime minister on behalf of the controversial finance firm - totalling up to 19 calls, text and emails in a single day - were published on Tuesday afternoon by a committee of MPs. The Treasury committee, which is one of three Commons select committees conducting an inquiry into Greensill Capital and its collapse, released the messages supplied by Mr Cameron ahead of his appearance before its panel on Thursday.
WorldReutersFrance to hold up EU-UK financial services deal over fisheries - source
PARIS (Reuters) -Paris has said it will delay a European Union financial services deal with Britain until Prime Minister Boris Johnson grants European fishermen fair access to UK waters, a source familiar with the French move said on Wednesday. The post-Brexit dispute over access to the UK's rich fishing grounds last week saw France and Britain send patrol vessels to the Channel island of Jersey as French trawlers protested there. Brexit issues were all related and not looked at in isolation, French government spokesman Gabriel Attal told a news briefing when asked if Paris was holding up the financial services deal as a lever in the fishing dispute.
BusinessBBCUK shares join global market sell-off on inflation fears
UK shares joined the global sell-off on Thursday as fears the US would have to act to contain inflation rattled financial markets. The FTSE 100 index of leading companies fell 2.3%, with markets in mainland Europe sinking by similar amounts. On Wednesday, a spike in US inflation fuelled worries the world's biggest economy may raise interest rates earlier than expected.
- WorldKGO – San Francisco
Child, teen arrested in attack on older Asian man in San Leandro
Police say the 11-year-old was driving a car stolen out of Oakland days after the attack.
PoliticsBusiness InsiderGOP Rep. Paul Gosar said police 'executed' Ashli Babbitt during the Capitol riot and that the feds are 'harassing peaceful patriots'
The House Oversight Committee held a hearing Wednesday about the January 6 Capitol attack. GOP Rep. Paul Gosar said the rioter who died was "executed" and that others were "peaceful patriots." Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz accused him of downplaying the actions of "violent insurrectionists."
U.S.Architectural DigestHouse Call: This Is the Comfort You Need
In support of plump, fluffy, puffy furniture Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
HealthReutersDelaying second COVID-19 vaccine doses can help reduce deaths - study
Giving a first dose of COVID-19 vaccine but delaying a second dose among people younger than 65 could lead to fewer people dying of the disease, but only if certain conditions are met, a predictive modelling study showed. For example, Pfizer has said there is no clinical evidence to support Britain's decision to extend the gap between doses of its vaccine to 12 weeks, but data from the rollout in England shows protection against death of around 80% from one dose, with a 70% decline in infections. The U.S. study, published in the BMJ British medical journal, used a simulation model based on a "real-world" sample of 100,000 U.S. adults and ran a series of scenarios to forecast potentially infectious interactions under different conditions.
WorldBBCXi Jinping: From princeling to president
Xi Jinping became president of China in 2012, ushering in an era of increased assertiveness and authoritarianism. He has been front and centre of China's push to cement its position as a superpower, while also launching crackdowns on corruption and dissent. A consummate political chess player who has cultivated an enigmatic strongman image, the leader of the ruling Chinese Communist Party has rapidly consolidated power, having his ideas mentioned by name in the constitution - an honour that had been reserved only to Mao Zedong until now.
PoliticsThe IndependentParkland activist says achieving gun reform harder under Biden because everyone wanted to ‘stick it to old orange man’
A former Parkland high school student, Cameron Kasky, has complained that the media was not pushing for gun reform under the Joe Biden administration as hard as it did when Donald Trump was in the White House. The former student appeared on The Young Turks on Monday to explain that gun reform advocates are receiving less help under the Biden administration, and claimed the lack of interest was due to a Democrat serving as president. "Right now, this very moment is a very complicated time for gun violence prevention activists because with Biden in the White House, the media does not want to aid us in demanding stronger gun reforms because whatever Joe Biden does is suddenly the right thing to do," Mr Kasky said.
WorldReutersSwiss aim to re-open economy, donate AstraZeneca COVID-19 shots
ZURICH (Reuters) -Switzerland aims to expand its economic re-opening and may donate millions of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine doses to developing countries as the Alpine nation grows increasingly confident it is beating back the pandemic. Health Minister Alain Berset on Wednesday said the country may give 3 million of 5.4 million AstraZeneca doses it has reserved to the COVAX vaccine sharing programme. Switzerland has enough mRNA shots from producers including Pfizer and Moderna to cover 2021 and 2022, Berset said.
U.S.The StateStocking up on gas is ‘dangerous, not necessary,’ SC Gov. McMaster says, urging calm
Editor's note: Check out our coverage on how to safely handle and store gasoline, what is (and isn't gas) causing fuel prices to increase in South Carolina. The gasoline supply problems started Friday when the Colonial Pipeline system, which runs from Texas to New Jersey and serves 70% of the oil supplies to Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Southern Virginia, shut down. The halt in fuel movement came as a result of a group of Russian criminals hacking the Colonial Pipeline, according to the FBI.
PoliticsThe Independent‘It’s wrong’: AOC hits out at Biden’s Israel statement as Democrats demand end to Palestinian displacement
A group of 25 House Democrats has urged Secretary of State Antony Blinken to “exert diplomatic pressure” to stop Israel's efforts to forcibly displace Palestinians in East Jerusalem. “Even our allies must be held accountable for human rights violations,” said US Rep Marc Pocan. The lawmakers point to the demolition of more than 5,000 Palestinian homes in East Jerusalem within the last 50 years, which are “in clear violation” of international laws governing human rights and war crimes, they say.
- PoliticsReuters Videos
Ex-Pentagon chief says Trump never called on Jan 6
"No, I had all the authority I needed from the president to fulfill my constitutional duties, " Miller said. "Did you speak with President Trump at all as the attack was unfolding?" Democratic lawmaker Carolyn Maloney, chairwoman of the House of Representatives Oversight Committee, asked at the start of a hearing examining the security failures.
WorldReutersBarley bubbles: beer spa opens in Brussels
Belgians will soon be able to relax in hops and barley as a new beer spa experience is about to open for the first time in Belgium. The "Good Beer Spa" in southern Brussels was founded by 42-year olds Benedict Biebuyck and his girlfriend Ana Bordonada after experiencing one in Prague in the Czech Republic two or three years ago. Biebuyck prepares the mixture for the jacuzzi: hop, yeast and malt combined with beer.
U.S.Tribune PublishingMurder charge: Gunman shot woman in back of head in downtown Minneapolis as she tried to flee
A Brooklyn Center man was charged with murder on accusations that he followed a woman into a parking garage in downtown Minneapolis over the weekend and shot her in the back of the head. Otis T. Givens, 45, was charged in Hennepin County District Court with second-degree murder in connection with the death of Ariana M. Bradley, who had no permanent address. Givens was arrested Monday and remains jailed in lieu of $1 million ahead of a court appearance Thursday.
PoliticsThe IndependentOver 100 anti-Trump republicans threaten to form breakaway party as GOP ousts Cheney
Over 100 prominent Republicans are threatening to split from the GOP amidst its continued support of former president Donald Trump and the ouster of his vocal critic, Wyoming representative Liz Cheney, as divisions in the party hit breaking point. The anti-Trump members are preparing to release a letter this week, hitting out at the former president's grip on the GOP and threatening to form a third party unless certain demands are met, The New York Times and Reuters report. A struggle for power in the GOP has ensued since Mr Trump officially left the White House, with the party becoming increasingly divided over the former president's future standing in the party.
WorldBusiness InsiderBoris Johnson has been issued with a county court judgement for an alleged unpaid debt
Boris Johnson has been issued with a county court judgement for failing to pay a debt. Johnson's personal finances have been the subject of scrutiny in recent months. The UK Prime Minister reportedly used a donation from an undeclared source to pay for the renovation of his flat.
“If Facebook lets Trump back on Facebook and Instagram, he'll assuredly restart his assault on democracy.”
“Facebook should have known better than to believe that it could limit speech on its platform without setting a terrible precedent.”
“Providing a microphone and an amplifier for deceit isn't fighting the good fight for free speech.”
“It’s no defense of Mr. Trump’s conduct to say that the digital public square shouldn’t suppress speech by political leaders.”
“The former president no longer gets the ‘head of state’ exception to terms of service.”